Missouri House orders xylazine ("tranq") classified as a Schedule III controlled substance
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Summary
Lawmakers voted to perfect House Bill 18-81 to make xylazine a Schedule III controlled substance, citing severe tissue damage and public-safety risks while emphasizing protections for legitimate veterinary and agricultural uses.
The House on April 1 ordered House Bill 18-81 perfected and printed after sponsors argued the drug xylazine, known on the street as "tranq," poses acute public-safety and health risks when diverted for human use.
The bill sponsor, the gentleman from Clay, described xylazine as a large-animal tranquilizer used legitimately in veterinary practice but said illicit human use causes severe tissue necrosis and amputations. He said scheduling the drug as a Schedule III controlled substance would allow prosecutors and law enforcement tools to target traffickers and dealers while preserving lawful veterinary uses for farms and ranches.
Supporters on the floor included committee members and veterinarians who said the bill respects agricultural and veterinary needs while giving law enforcement needed authority. A representative who practices veterinary medicine said the bill's model language reflects input from veterinarians and agricultural stakeholders and emphasized that the measure is targeted at traffickers, not people struggling with addiction.
Members discussed the bill's scope and enforcement; one lawmaker noted the measure had previously moved through committee multiple sessions and praised bipartisan support. The House ordered the bill perfected and printed by voice vote.
What happens next: With the perfection-and-printing step completed on the House floor, the measure will continue through the legislative process as required for final passage or conference activity.
